Police's metaverse game pulls in over 4 million players in first year

Described as the "ultimate policing experience", the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) Mata-verse game appears to be a hit, drawing 4.4 million players since it was launched in June 2023.

- David Sun

Hosted on online gaming platform Roblox, the game is a 3D experience of what it is like to be a law enforcement officer and SPF's first foray into the metaverse.

The game features accurately rendered police uniforms and vehicles, which players can unlock by completing quests and progressing through the ranks from trainee all the way to senior assistant commissioner of police.

The vehicles include the police fast response car and the Special Operations Command's iconic red tactical vehicle.

Quests in the form of minigames require players to complete tasks like nabbing robbers and identifying suspicious characters while on patrol.

At the Police Workplan Seminar 2024 held at the Singapore University of Technology and Design on May 24, it was revealed that a new in-game quest focusing on scam fighting will be released soon.

"Mata-verse" is a play on the term "metaverse" and the Malay slang for policemen, mata-mata.

A police spokeswoman said the game is used both to educate the public about crime fighting and as a recruitment tool.